October 05, 2009

Reporters Notebooks

Steve Ellis, Tallahassee Democrat: The heat is officially on high. Jim Smith, the chair of the Florida State Board
of Trustees, on Bobby Bowden's future as coach: "My hope is frankly that
we'll go ahead, and if we have to, let the world know that this year
will be the end of the Bowden Era
... But I think the record will show that the Seminole Nation has been
more than patient. We have been in a decline not for a year or two or
three but I think we're coming up on seven or eight. I think enough is
enough." ... Ellis wrote a column Sunday calling for an end to the Bowden era.

Andrew Carter, Orlando Sentinel: Ann Bowden, wife of Bobby, said her husband has been betrayed by Smith. "I
am angry," she said. "I'm angry at some of our boosters that Bobby has
worked for and supported, raised money for. And he's been such a top
quality person, such great character and everything for this
university. And for them to turn their back on him like that. I don't
care if he is 80 years old ..."

Don Williams, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Texas Tech offensive lineman Brandon Carter has been reinstated to the team, but quarterback Taylor Potts is doubtful for this week's home game against Kansas State after spending Saturday night in the hospital after suffering a concussion against New Mexico. Junior Steven Sheffield will get his first career start.

Bob Condotta, Seattle Times: Pacific 10 coordinator of football officiating Dave Cutaia talks about a couple of controversial plays in the Washington-Notre Dame game. A Pac-10 crew worked the game and Big East officials were in the replay booth. Watch video of one of the plays by clicking here. Plus, the Huskies might be getting ready to schedule games against Division I-AA opponents. Washington is one of only four teams — the others being USC, UCLA and Notre Dame — to have never played a I-AA opponent since the NCAA adopted the divisional setup in 1978.

David Jones, Florida Today: Tim Tebow's status for Florida's game against Louisiana State on Saturday remains uncertain. He will not practice on Monday.

Tony Krausz, Fort Wayne Journal Gazette: Coach Charlie Weis seems perplexed by the lack of respect for his Notre Dame team, which is 4-1 and unranked in the Associated Press and coaches polls. "We’ve had one loss by four points on the road with 11 seconds to go in the game. On the flip side of it, we are 11 seconds from being undefeated right now."

Chris Dufresne, Los Angeles Times: The five most overrated teams: Iowa, LSU, Oklahoma State, Penn State and Notre Dame. The five most underrated: Stanford, South Carolina, South Florida, Boston College and Notre Dame. That's right, the Fighting Irish appear on both lists, and for good reason.

Richard Tijerina, Austin American-Statesman: Of the 111 players on Texas' roster, 103 are from the Lone Star State.

Mike Strange, Knoxville News-Sentinel: Lane Kiffin is still searching for his first victory against a team from a Bowl Championship Series conference. He'll try to get it this week at home against Georgia.

John Rhode, Oklahoman: Although Bob Stoops has lost three in a row against ranked opponents, he is 33-15 (.688) in those games with the Sooners. That's better than Bud Wilkinson (.606) and Barry Switzer (.662). With chart.

Dan Magill and Roger Clarkson, Athens Banner-Herald: Magill writes that the penalty for excessive celebration against Georgia's A.J. Green with 1:09 left in Saturday's game against LSU should not have been called, but Clarkson writes that the Bulldogs simply didn't play well enough to win.

Tony Barnhart, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: He has been covering college football for 32 years and writes that the excessive celebration call against Green was "the single worst officiating mistake I have seen in my three decades of covering the sport." Video of celebration.

William C. Rhoden, New York Times: The task of reforming the NCAA bureaucracy, with all of its vested interests, may be more daunting than reforming health care because the emotions of alumni and boosters are involved.

Dick Weiss, New York Daily News: Notre Dame is thriving by surviving, but are the Fighting Irish good or just lucky?

Terry Hutchens, Indianapolis Star: Indiana appears to be catching a scheduling break. The Hoosiers were to play undefeated South Florida this Saturday, but the Bulls wanted to push back the game until 2015 to play Florida State. The Hoosiers instead get Virginia, struggling at 1-3.

Paul Gattis, Huntsville Times: Tommy Tuberville had the right idea going to the spread offense, he just had the wrong coordinator.